There never was a question that the fish would be released. Here is how the situation unfolded. Two brothers were with me on the Big Horn and I parked the boat in a channel. After wade fishing one side we walked across the island to wade fish the other side. One brother hooked what was immediately apparent to be a big fish. The way the fish screamed down river also lead me to believe that it was snagged near the pectoral fin. We chased the fish down to the end of the island, and the guy was already well into his backing.
The end of the island literally had us at the end of our rope. There was a fast current coming in and the fish was way out in the fast water. All through the fight I repeatedly said that we needed to be in a boat to land this fish. Two strangers had their boat parked at the end of the island and they offered to take my fisherman in their boat to chase the fish. This was the only way to ever see this fish, so my guy hoped in. I then ran as fast as I could to go get my boat.
When I got my boat to the end of the island I picked up the brother and saw, to my amzement, that the fish was still on. We caught the other boat and my guy wanted to get into my boat so I could net his fish. It was 45 degrees, spitting rain and the water we we floating in now was slow and deep. I told the brother to move to the back of my boat. I meant for him to walk to the back. In the excitement he stepped out, into water over his head.
Now the brother with the fish on, and myself, were faced with a decision: Do we net the fish first, or get the brother, who was kneck deep in cold water, back in the boat. All I could think of to say was to hold on, I needed to look this situation up in my Guide Manual. We manged to get the brother in, then net the fish.
As soon as I saw that the fish was snagged I quickly unhooked it, and did not tell the guys who were hooting, and laughing uncontrolably (so was I) that the fish was snagged. We took the pics, revivied the fish carefully, and let it go. It was about a 22 inch bow.
